M246 wrecker tractor hydraulic hose replacement

[patracy]

On a related note. It must be spreading. I blew a line on my M543A2 yesterday. I ordered some hoses from here:

www.surpluscenter.com

I bought 4 1" 7ft long hoses for only double what I paid for one hose to be made the first one I blew.

 

[doghead]

The Ermeto fittings were/are a "bite" type fitting. Think of a standard compression fitting that uses a ferrule and nut and a seat to seal.

They were a method of connection to steel hydraulic lines(like what goes through the gondola).

 

[doghead]

www.surpluscenter.comThose prices are low.

Last year I replaced a 48" long 1" hose(maybe it was 36" long). I went to JGB(they assemble hoses for government contracts). They offered me their "house brand" of hose(no name brand on the outside) and said it was the same as their "other"(Weatherhead) name brand hose that sells for almost twice as much. It was made in China.

Fastforward to this year and I blew another hose that is beside the recently replaced hose. While cleaning up and removing it, I noticed the new hose(house brand one year old) was severly cracked and "dryrotted" on the exterior layer.

Unimpressed, I called a few other industrial hose shops and found one that sells Aeroquip hose. They said they regularly see the other company's hose brought in with failure within a year or two, failed from UV damage/or dryrot cracking.

They sold me Aeroquip hose and said it will out resist all the others againts UV/weather damage. They also mentioned that there is a reason most aircraft use this same hose. It is made in the USA.

It cost me about $110 for that hose, versus the $50 hose.

Time will tell.

One other intersting note. That hose looked to be original to my truck. It had an aluminum tag/ban on it. It says Weatherhead Co Hose Assembly and the part number and few other numbers.

 

[RAYZER]

Wow, those are good prices, about 30% of what I was quoted today but if the quality is inferior then I don't know. Going to shop a couple other places tomorrow.
With hoses that are exposed to direct uv, painting them might increase longevity.
I need: 2 ea. 1" X 60", 2 ea. 1" X 72", 2 ea. 1/2" X 84" all standard nptm.

 

[doghead]

Ray, the original hoses on my crane were all painted. You may have a good idea there. Maybe inquire with the hose companies about painting them?

I also considered sleeving the hoses with the protective covers.

 

[RAYZER]

Ray, the original hoses on my crane were all painted. You may have a good idea there. Maybe inquire with the hose companies about painting them?

I also considered sleeving the hoses with the protective covers.

I will check, seems like water base paint would be best.

 

[RAYZER]

The hoses from surplus center are wearguard made in the USA!

 

[patracy]

I've had no problems with the hoses I've bought there so far.

 

[RAYZER]

Ok! Finally getting around to reassemble!
In the beginning when searching for new hydrolic hoses, i went to a local hydrolic house where I was quoted $800.00 for the 7 replacement hoses needed!
Thanks to whoever posted the link in this thread for "Surplus Center", the 7 hoses from them totaled only $263.00 shipped!
In another couple hrs of work I'll have the crane up and operational!

 

[gimpyrobb]

Good luck Ray!

 

[MWMULES]

In a former life I worked for a engineering firm that built every kind of weird process contraption you could dream up. Everything we built that was to be in the open with hydraulic hoses were covered with a nylon protective sleeve, which basically was nylon webbing/tubing that the hose was run through and zip tied at the ends. Their was also a semi hard plastic spiral wrap but it is harder to apply and did not seem to hold up as well. You might be able to adapt something cheaper to work anything that blocks UV will help, like making sleeves out of sewing some canvas together . Rubber hose really only has about 10 year life so anything you get past that is gravy. http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/product_p/nps-parent.htm
Paint and rubber is never a good mix.

 

[RAYZER]

When you look under the crane you see no hanging hoses underneath, you know why??

 

[gimpyrobb]

Y?

 

[RAYZER]

Because they're all hooked up!

 

[RAYZER]

Today I'm going to buy some more hydrolic fluid, refill the reservoir and test, I'll be glad to have this thing back up and running!
On a side note, all of the hoses save one that come off the swivel head are standard npt.
Here's a reference pic of the obsolete ermeto fitting.

 

[RAYZER]

Well its together and fully operational! No leaks!
Had to get a little creative when it came to filling the hydrolic oil reservoir, no way to use a funnel and dump out of a 5 gal bucket, this pneumatic barrel pump does 5 gal in about 2 minutes.
This was my first experience working on hydrolics of this magnitude, it was a big challenge with potential pitfalls. I'm thankful that I finished it without breaking anything or bleeding!
Thanks to all that posted tm pages and lent knolage and support!
I hope this thread helps the next guy that faces this procedure.

 

[patracy]

Well its together and fully operational! No leaks!
Had to get a little creative when it came to filling the hydrolic oil reservoir, no way to use a funnel and dump out of a 5 gal bucket, this pneumatic barrel pump does 5 gal in about 2 minutes.
This was my first experience working on hydrolics of this magnitude, it was a big challenge with potential pitfalls. I'm thankful that I finished it without breaking anything or bleeding!
Thanks to all that posted tm pages and lent knolage and support!
I hope this thread helps the next guy that faces this procedure.

Remind me to show you the 5 gal bucket trick when I see you next.

 

[RAYZER]

Remind me to show you the 5 gal bucket trick when I see you next.

Cool!!
Here's a few pics.
View attachment 490176

 

[gimpyrobb]

Dang Ray, is that a Mack motor?! I thought all the 246 were gassers.

Also, whats the story with that deuce next to your wrecker? It looks like someone set it on fire...

 

[Speddmon]

After reading throuigh this thread, I am more happy than ever that I have access to the hose, fittings and crimper here at work. I never thought about it, but I probably saved about $2500 to $3500 in hoses when I re-build the hydraulics on my backhoe


Nice work, I'm glad to see you got it back together.